Regulator reports on the findings of its inquiry into Aid and Peace Trust
An inquiry has found that trustees of Aid and Peace Trust were responsible for misconduct and mismanagement after they failed to show how charitable funds were used and acted outside the charity’s stated objects.
The regulator opened a statutory inquiry due to concerns about the management of the charity and the ongoing risk to charitable funds.
The Commission carried out a books and records inspection and engaged with the trustees, finding:
The inquiry found that trustees had failed to manage and consider additional risks. There was no record of how the decision to organise the appeal was reached and no evidence that appropriate due diligence checks had been carried out on parties involved in the appeal, including a non-charitable political lobbying group.
The charity’s paid coordinator was also employed by the television company involved and was connected to the charity’s chairperson, yet there was no evidence to show that these potential conflicts of interests had been managed.
During the inquiry, the Commission exercised its powers to safeguard the charity’s property and ultimately ensured that over £16,000 in safeguarded funds were spent in line with the charity’s objects. The inquiry secured a voluntary undertaking from all of the trustees that they would not act in the capacity of charity trustee for 3 years, after finding they were responsible for misconduct and mismanagement in the administration of the charity. The charity has been removed from the register.
Amy Spiller, Head of Investigations Team at the Charity Commission said:
The full report is available on GOV.UK